From Garden to Plate: Inside Our Seasonal Menu Creation at The Mains

From the garden just outside our kitchen to the carefully crafted plates in our dining room, our menus are a true reflection of place, season, and purpose. Let us take you behind the scenes of how each plate comes to life.

Our Culinary Philosophy

Our approach to food is simple: let exceptional ingredients speak for themselves. We don’t believe in overcomplicating things—instead, we focus on elevated simplicity, where flavour, texture, and presentation work in quiet harmony.

Fine dining at The Mains is relaxed but refined. It’s local and worldly, familiar yet surprising and above all, it’s authentic. We aim to create moments of connection between guests, between cultures, and between the land and the plate.

One of the ways we bring this philosophy to life is by growing a selection of our produce right here on the property. Not only is this a step toward sustainability and self-sufficiency, but it also means our chefs are constantly inspired by what’s growing just outside the kitchen door.

From Garden to Kitchen

During the warmer months, up to 50% of our kitchen’s produce comes straight from our onsite garden at our Rotorua luxury accommodation. Passionfruit, kawakawa, fresh herbs, blueberries, and even eggs from our hens, are just some of the ingredients we harvest and use across our seasonal menus.

Our property assistants lovingly care for the gardens and regularly catch up with the kitchen team to plan and plant future crops. It’s a wonderful collaboration that keeps us grounded in seasonality and adds a unique freshness to everything we serve.

Supporting Local, Celebrating Craft

When it comes to the ingredients we don’t grow ourselves, we’re proud to partner with some of New Zealand’s finest producers, many of which are right here in the Bay of Plenty and surrounding regions.

At The Mains, the selection of our suppliers is guided by one core principle: quality with integrity. We carefully choose partners who align with our values of sustainability, responsibility, and exceptional craftsmanship, making our partnerships all the more special.

Many of the flavours featured on our menu can only be experienced right here, thanks to our location. From sweet, earthy kūmara to sustainably-caught crayfish and premium salmon, these ingredients reflect the natural richness of our region.

Here are a few of the local artisans who help bring our menus to life:

Fenton Produce – Rotorua

Our fresh vegetables come from Fenton Produce, a trusted supplier just minutes from our property. Their commitment to freshness and seasonal availability means we’re always working with produce at its peak—crisp greens, vibrant root vegetables, and speciality varieties that inspire creative plating and seasonal specials.

Over the Moon Dairy – Putāruru

A boutique artisan cheesemaker based in the South Waikato, Over the Moon crafts award-winning cheeses using locally sourced cow, goat, and sheep milk. Their range includes everything from creamy brie to complex blues and washed rind cheeses, each batch handcrafted with care. We regularly feature their cheeses on our cheese boards and antipasto plates, paired with chutneys, housemade crackers and cured meats.

Tora Collective – Wairarapa

Tora Collective provides us with premium crayfish (kōura) sustainably caught off the Wairarapa coast. This small, passionate operation is dedicated to harvesting kaimoana the old-fashioned way—by hand, in small volumes, with respect for the ocean. Their crayfish brings a truly luxurious local flavour to our seasonal seafood offerings.

Ohiwa Black Diamonds – Ōpōtiki

Ohiwa Black Diamonds is New Zealand’s leading truffle grower, nestled in the volcanic soils near Ōpōtiki. As winter sets in, their exquisite black truffles and handcrafted truffle products (including salt and oil) are a highlight of our menus. The earthy depth of truffle transforms simple ingredients into something extraordinary, such as our indulgent truffle butter or silky truffle mash.

Volcanic Creamery – Rotorua

Our dairy, such as milk, cream, and yoghurt, comes from Volcanic Creamery, where a small herd of A2-certified Jersey cows graze just outside Rotorua. Their milk is batch-pasteurised and non-homogenised, retaining its rich flavour and natural structure. It’s a vital part of our pastries, panna cottas, and sauces, bringing local freshness to every bite.

By championing these suppliers, we’re not only able to serve the finest seasonal produce, we’re also helping to strengthen the community and honour the land that makes Rotorua so special. Each ingredient carries with it a story of place, people, and passion, and we’re proud to share that on every plate.

Ōra King Salmon – Marlborough Sounds

Often referred to as the "Wagyu of the sea," Ōra King Salmon is renowned for its buttery texture, vibrant marbling, and clean flavour. Raised in the pristine waters of the Marlborough Sounds, this salmon is sustainably farmed and carefully handled to preserve its quality. It’s the star of one of our signature dishes and a guest favourite.

Source: Ōra King Salmon

Crafting the Seasonal Menu

Each season, our menu begins with a spark of inspiration, usually from Head Chef William, who starts with research into what’s trending, what’s in season, and what our guests have been loving. He then drafts the initial ideas and brings the team together to refine and develop each dish.

It’s a collaborative process that takes about two to three weeks from concept to completion. We carefully consider everything: seasonality, local sourcing, balance of flavours and textures, sustainability, pairings and complementary flavours, dietary requirements, cost—and, of course, guest preferences and feedback.

Once the menu is finalised, our chefs begin a thorough testing phase. We plate, tweak, taste, and repeat until every dish feels just right. It’s all part of ensuring the food we serve delivers not just great flavour, but a memorable dining experience.

This Season’s Highlights

Not every dish begins with a story—some are created in the moment. One recent example is our Seafood Trio - a crisp straw potato basket filled with seaweed, tuna, and prawns. Others evolve, refined through collaboration and careful tasting.

Our current menu features a few dishes we’re particularly proud of, like the Seared Ōra King Salmon and the Duo of Lamb. Both are perfect examples of how we balance local ingredients with timeless technique.

These dishes highlight produce from our garden, such as beetroot leaves—as well as cream from Volcanic Creamery and fresh truffles from Ohiwa Black Diamonds as they've come into season.

Looking for the perfect pairing? We love the Clearview Sea Red with our chocolate dessert, and Bollinger Champagne alongside the mussel entrée.

More Than a Meal

Dining at The Mains isn’t just about what’s on the plate—it’s about slowing down, savouring the moment, and sharing a meaningful experience with friends or family around the table.

From breakfast to dinner, every dish is thoughtfully prepared from scratch using fresh, seasonal ingredients—many of them grown right here on the property. From homegrown fruit, herbs and veggies to our house-made sauces and stocks, we take pride in crafting our own food with care and purpose.

We also host occasional bespoke events in Rotorua—like our recent Champagne dinner, where we worked directly with the winemaker to design a menu that complemented the wines, right down to the final pour.

Ready to experience fine dining in Rotorua?

We’re delighted to share our new Winter Menu, brimming with comforting seasonal flavours and fresh surprises, served in a setting that’s as warm and welcoming as it is refined.

Whether you’re staying with us at On The Point or joining us for a special evening out, we invite you to dine at The Mains—a Rotorua fine dining experience where every dish tells a story, and every ingredient has a purpose.